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Succirae
The Succirae (or Succubi) are one of the six tribes of the Hessite race. They are the third most populous of the Hessite tribes, behind the Oni and Witches. The tribe is comprised entirely of female members, who thereby must have children with males from other races/tribes (though the children are always female Succubi). They are native to the Realm of Thalderyn, and in particular inhabit the region of Vayne. Appearance Succubi are almost always strikingly beautiful young women, with silky hair, unblemished skin, and piercing eyes. Their height and proportions will vary, though usually they are on the taller side—the average height among them being 170.1 cm. Succubi have varying skin tones, but the most common are fair, tanned, light brown, or light red. Many Succubi have horns and wings that they can retract on command, and some have enlarged canines or pointed ears. Succubi reach full physical maturity after 50 years. Natural Abilities Pheromones - One of the most noteworthy features of a Succubus is her pheromones. While all creatures give off pheromones, Succubi are unique. They are all capable of emitting powerfully intoxicating pheromones, which can be enhanced with Quen. Even without enhancements, the pheromones are able to entrance and, given enough time, enslave others who are in close proximity to the Succubus. This is often undesired by the Succubus however, and so many learn from a young age how to use Quen to control the secretion of pheromones. Others utilize potions and gels, which act as a sort of specialized deodorant. In any case, it is said that a Succubus is incapable of smelling bad, as even with her pheromones in check, a Succubus’s aroma is supernaturally delightful. Allure - In addition to the intoxicating nature of a Succubus’s mere presence, most Succirae have a talent for charming and hypnotizing others. The precise method of hypnotism will vary, though most Succirae use either bewitching eyes or lyrical voices. Some more rare forms of hypnotism include special dances, gestures, or specific words. Like with their pheromones, many younger Succubi who have not learned to control their abilities will unknowingly charm others by making prolonged eye contact or singing. Even without making use of hypnotizing techniques, a Succubus’s appearance is usually enough on its own to get what she wants from a given target. Body Modification - Some Succubi are capable of modifying their bodies. Most are able to put away their wings on command, but some are able to grow out their nails to form long, lethal talons. In some extremely rare cases, a Succubus may even modify her appearance in more drastic ways, changing her height, hair color, eye color, bone structure, and vocal pitch. Some scholars have speculated that this is an evolutionary trait, intended to equip the Succubi with the ability to make herself more appealing to potential mates. Energy Absorption - The bodies and blood of Succubi have unique properties towards energy. In particular, Succubi are exceedingly efficient at absorbing Quen, and Vitas especially. Their blood and cells act like sponges, able to quickly drain power from different energy sources. This ability is especially potent when applied to living organisms, and an untrained Succubus can unknowingly absorb large amounts of Vitas simply through skin-to-skin contact with another being. One common misconception is that Succubi can only absorb this energy through close physical intimacy, but this is not the case—any contact can transfer energy, though obviously the opportunities for transfer may be more abundant during intimate moments. Culture History During the early founding of Hessrea, the Succubi experienced a long period of abuse commonly called the “Dark Days.” In such times, Succubi had yet to find their place in the Realm, and were often taken advantage of because of their natural appearance and pheromones. A Succubus could hardly walk through the woods or a town without stumbling across a would-be suitor, who often acted violently when their advances were rebuked. Some reports indicate that even young Succubi were not spared, a historical reality that many Succubi still shudder to remember. One especially powerful Succubus named Sylth banded together large groups of Succubi to form colonies, where they might be safe from the violence of other tribes. They learned how to suppress their pheromones, and discovered much about their natural abilities in hypnotism and Quen absorption. From these colonies, Sylth established an order of Succubus Knights that would travel the countryside to rescue abused Succubi. These Knights trained in Quen and weaponry, becoming stronger and faster than any of the other Succubi. Sylth soon came to realize, however, that even with suppressed pheromones and traveling Knights, the Succubi could not live in Hessrea free of the fear of molestation. Sylth came to Haestra, the Aenold who had established Hessrea, and pleaded for aid. The Aenold had long watched how her anarchical Realm had struggled, and decided to establish a unified government with herself at the head. Haestra promised Sylth that she would do all she could to help the Succubi when she solidified her power. On her return journey from visiting Haestra, Sylth and her bodyguards were attacked and slain. To this day, there is no confirmed culprit from the attack. Some believe one of the other Hessite tribes planned the attack, while others believe Sylth was attacked by jealous and lustful warriors. Regardless, the Succubi were now without a leader. Sylth’s daughter, Ruthia, was the natural choice to assume her mother’s mantle. In the rapidly forming government under Haestra, Ruthia knew she must adapt. She formalized her leadership by creating a noble House of Succubi, which she called House Sythias. Ruthia herself was established as the first Matriarch of the House, and her heirs would go on to rule the Succubi for generations to come. The first members of House Sythias worked under Haestra as diplomats, spies, and assassins. Their beauty and hypnotic abilities made them ideal for infiltration, and soon Succubi could be found in high society across all the many Realms. Their services to Thalderyn placed them in Haestra’s favor, and as a sign of her appreciation she gifted the Succubi a large tract of land near their colonies to develop and control. The early settlements Sylth had constructed on this land would eventually become the great cities of Orphet and Lyse, two of the most prosperous cities of Thalderyn. After the First War for the Cosmos, Haestra lay mortally wounded, and in the ensuing chaos the Hessites fought over who would become the new ruler. House Sythias was the primary champion of forming a loose confederacy of regions, as the Succubi did not wish to serve any of the other Houses. They did not trust the other Houses, and feared a return to the Dark Days if they were not given the ability to self-govern. The Succubi were overruled however, and the Crown Battle of Rom took place sometime later. House Sythias’ champion was Selina Bellmont Sythias II, second daughter of Ruthia, House Sythias’ Matriarch. She was defeated by House Aramont’s champion, Lord Apothos. As apology for her death, Lord Apothos agreed to marry his firstborn heir to a member of House Sythias, much to the displeasure of the Vampiric Nobles. Under the new Therydian Regime, the Succubi saw several changes to their standards of living, not all of them good. While the Royal Family had brought much-needed stability and a fragile peace to the Realm, and even continued Haestra’s work in cracking down on the assault of Succubi, the creation of the Blooded Horde worried House Sythias. Succubi produced the fewest front-line warriors, and though the Succubus Knights of Vayne were impressive, they were too few in number to protect House Sythias and serve in the new Royal host. Under pressure from his wife Lithyn, Imperius, the second High King of Thalderyn and son of Lord Apothos, amended the conscription orders concerning Succubi; House Sythias would be permitted to choose from among its number to send to the Blooded Horde, and would not be obligated to send any Knights. Tensions continued to slowly grow over the generations, as Succubi were not always treated well in Thalderyn even under a unified government. In the Blooded Horde especially, there were reports of Succubus recruits being used by the other soldiers for amusement and deviancy. House Sythias felt its influence over the Royals to be waning, and decided to take action. Returning to their roots of sabotage, the Succubi began infiltrating the courts and estates of Thaldenese nobility, and even landed some agents in the Royal halls. Using their wits, charm, and beauty, they collected information; taking stock of the infidelities, skeletons, and perversions of the other nobles, and then launched an insidious campaign of destruction. They forged trading manuscripts, altered diplomatic messages, anonymously exposed adulterers to their spouses, stroked the egos and tempers of unfit lords, and whispered in the ears of the Dukes and Barons who took them abed. For years House Sythias undermined the Thaldenese Royals, moving largely undetected. The Royal Family spent some generations scrambled to put out the fires as they were lit, but still it seemed that the Realm may even collapse into civil war. The Royal Family considered banning Succubi from noble courts, suspecting the Succubi may be partially to blame for the chaos, but the nobility of Thalderyn quickly rejected such a proposal (likely due to their infatuation with the Succubi in their midst). Under High Queen Malakova, the Royal Family finally began to discover the true extent of House Sythias’ involvement in Thalderyn’s struggles. Many of the Queen’s advisors recommended she mobilize the Blooded Horde and destroy House Sythias, but Malakova felt that the Realm could still be unified without bloodshed. Queen Malakova met with the Matriarch of House Sythias, Selina Bellmont Sythias III, the granddaughter of Selina Sythias II. Malakova agreed to let the region of Vayne be more independent, and the Matriarch of House Sythias would even be permitted to call herself the “Queen” of the Succubi. Further, Succubi would no longer be conscripted to the Blooded Horde; instead, House Sythias was to provide Succubi to serve as handmaidens and bodyguards to the Royal Family, sworn to protect them from insurrection. Malakova’s generosity in terms surprised the Succubi, who readily accepted. For generations afterwards, Succubi served by the side of the Royal Family, gaining acceptance and trust. Though there were still troubles for Succubi on the road, new guards were trained to recognize and prevent attacks before they happen, and attacks on Succubi eventually began to decline. Category:Races Category:Thalderyn